Horrific end for snared badgers found at roadside

TWO badgers have died horrific deaths after being caught in snares in North Yorkshire.

An adult badger found at the side of the Sandsend Road at Dunsley, near Whitby, had a “slit throat” according to the person who discovered it.

Two days later an adult sow badger was found at the same place – with a wire snare tightly fastened round its neck.

Snaring of badgers is illegal. The incidents were reported to Jean Thorpe, who runs the Ryedale Rehabilitation Centre at Norton, near Malton.

Mrs Thorpe said the first badger was moved before it could be examined. But the second had horrific injuries. The wire snare had pulled tight and sliced deeply into its throat.

She said: “What an horrendous death that poor sow has had. To snare a badger is illegal and to have two die that way is appalling. The snare had cut deeply in a full circle into the neck of the badger.”

Mrs Thorpe has reported the incidents to North Yorkshire Police and to the RSPCA. She supplied them with photographs of one of the dead badgers, which the Yorkshire Post has decided not to publish because the injuries are so horrific.

The second badger was killed by a commercially-made wire snare. Mrs Thorpe said: “These snares are commonly used by serious pest control professionals.”

She added: “I know it is very difficult to catch anybody for doing it. I am not unrealistic. But I felt that if I could get some publicity at least it may get back to the person who has done it that we are aware and are not happy about it.

“Wildlife crime in North Yorkshire is terrible. I have had to deal with poisoned birds of prey. I have had to deal with snarings, badgers that have been lamped and shot and one that was lamped and beaten up.”

A police spokeswoman said: “This treatment of wild animals is abhorrent as well as being illegal and we will do everything possible to catch the perpetrators.” Anybody with information is asked to contact the police on 0845 6060247 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

NASC

The National Anti Snaring Campaign is the UK’s leading animal welfare organisation campaigning against the sale and manufacture of animal snares. We also aim to increase public awareness of the cruelty of snares.